’Jacks to host Rayville

Patterson’s Deontay Jones celebrates with teammate Larry Turner after scoring a touchdown during the Lumberjacks’ season opener against Brother Martin. Jones leads Patterson’s rushers this season 635 yards and 11 touchdowns. Patterson, Class 3A’s No. 4 seed, will open the playoffs at home Friday at 7 p.m. against No. 29 seed Rayville. (Photo credit: Geoff Stoute)

We wanted to run last week to get Jake comfortable, but we will call the offense just as if Spencer were in there this week.

Patterson, La.

By CORWIN MURRAY

The Patterson Lumberjacks will open bi-district playoff action Friday at the Sugar Dome against Rayville without standout quarterback Spencer Landry.

Landry, one of the state’s top passers, suffered a cracked collarbone last week and will be out three to five weeks, according to Patterson head coach Tommy Minton.The senior has completed 149-of-252 passes for 2,523 yards with 30 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.Landry will be replaced by junior quarterback Jake LaGrange who played well last week in relief.The ’Jacks captured the District 9-3A championship with a 45-6 win against longtime rival Franklin last week.“Jake will get the start this week,” Minton said. “He did a great job last week, and he can handle our entire offensive system. He got more reps this week, and we feel comfortable he will be successful.”This season, LaGrange has completed 2 of 7 passes for 35 yards and has rushed eight times for 43 yards and three scores.The Jacks (8-2), the fourth-seed, are averaging nearly 42 points and more than 400 yards per game.“They are very, very athletic,” Rayville head coach Lent Bursey said. “We have to be technically sound to deal with their athletes. It’s a great environment to play in, and we are looking forward to competing.”Standout receivers Daylon Charlot and Mykel Jones were held in check last week after Landry left the game. Charlot had three catches for 50 yards and score while Jones went without a catch.Charlot has 40 catches for 854 yards and 13 scores this season, while Jones has 48 receptions for 835 yards and 10 touchdowns.“We wanted to run last week to get Jake comfortable, but we will call the offense just as if Spencer were in there this week,” Minton said.The Patterson running game responded with two 100-yard rushers. Tristen Ausama carried five times for 107 yards and a touchdown, while Deontay Jones had 17 carries for 102 yards and a score.Jones has carried 102 times for 635 yards and scored 11 touchdowns this season, while Ausama has 70 totes for 473 yards and two scores.Rayville (4-6), the 29th-seed, beat Carroll 26-16 to secure a playoff berth.“Our record doesn’t reflect what kind of team we are,” Bursey said. “We played 5A and 4A teams this year, and all of our opponents made the playoffs.”The Hornets are primarily an option team.“The quarterback is a very good athlete, and he’s made some big plays with his legs,” Minton said. “But they will throw off of play-action, and they have a couple lanky receivers that we have to account for.”Rayville is averaging 21 points per game, but it surrenders 22.2 points per game.Rayville, of District 2-3A, runs a four-man front with zone in the secondary most of the time.Offensively, Minton said the ’Jacks want to be balanced.“We need to attack the perimeter with the run game since they have good size inside,” Minton said. “They also like to blitz their linebackers, leaving man-coverage on the outsides so we have to win those battles.”Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.